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oceanwriter's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I’m almost always up for a book centered on family drama. Banyan Moon brings this to the table with the extra layers of generational struggles and the differences brought on by being raised in different cultures.
When Minh passes away, her daughter Huong and granddaughter Ann come together to mourn their losses. For Huong, her mourning feels doubled, envious of the good relationship Ann had with Minh that she could never achieve. For Ann, she’s also mourning the seemingly perfect life she’d built that began to grumble simultaneously. Together, Ann and Huong strive to mend their own complicated relationship all while uncovering long-kept secrets that had been hiding in Minh’s house all along.
I found the book to be a slower pace than I like to read with my eyes. I think I would have gotten more out of it had I listened to the audiobook. Having already purchased the hardcover and long waits at the library I pushed through. Minh was definitely the most interesting part of the story for me. I also very much enjoyed the complicated relationships between the three women.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Child abuse, Infertility, and Murder
serendipitysbooks's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Banyan Moon is a satisfying, solid multigenerational family saga. When Ann receives the news that her beloved grandmother Minh has died, her life is already at a crossroads with an unplanned pregnancy and the growing realisation that her perfect boyfriend might not actually be perfect for her. So she returns to the family home in Florida, and her estranged mother Hu’o’ng. This book ticked so many boxes for me - women centred, a strong focus motherhood and mother-daughter relationships, dual timelines, immigration, family secrets, multiple points of view, a cross-cultural component, meaningful character growth, and beautiful writing. There is also what might be termed magical realism, which isn’t normally my favourite but it worked here and was culturally significant. It was interesting to note the parallels in the lives of the three women despite their differences. I also liked the ending - happy but not unrealistically or stereotypically so, and with a strong focus on new beginnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Death and Grief
mtnest's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy
Moderate: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
gondorgirl's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Colonisation, and Classism
brynpemery's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
A good debut, but it was a bit underwhelming. I felt like the characters’ lack of communication throughout was unrealistic and there only as a plot device. I also found most of the twists pretty predictable. It was compelling reading though, and I enjoyed the exploration of mother/daughter relationships and generational secrets
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Grief, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Infertility, Murder, War, and Injury/Injury detail
bookishcori's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
Phenomenal. This shot straight to my top reads thus far.
Set in a crumbling mansion, the Banyan House, we follow three generations of women - Minh, Hương and Ann - from Minh as a young girl in Vietnam to present day as Hương and Ann grapple with Minh’s death. Weaving all their stories together with impeccable prose.
This is about mothers and daughters. Secrets and the unspokens. Inheritance and legacies. Ghosts and past mistakes. And ultimately, finding your own path.
This isn’t out until June [in the US], but definitely get on your radar if you enjoy intergenerational stories, atmospheric vibes, and strong, imperfect women.
An incredible debut.
Set in a crumbling mansion, the Banyan House, we follow three generations of women - Minh, Hương and Ann - from Minh as a young girl in Vietnam to present day as Hương and Ann grapple with Minh’s death. Weaving all their stories together with impeccable prose.
This is about mothers and daughters. Secrets and the unspokens. Inheritance and legacies. Ghosts and past mistakes. And ultimately, finding your own path.
This isn’t out until June [in the US], but definitely get on your radar if you enjoy intergenerational stories, atmospheric vibes, and strong, imperfect women.
An incredible debut.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Grief
Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, and War
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